The development and application of centrifugal flotation systems in wastewater treatment

Flotation as a wastewater treatment technique is designed to remove all particles generally encountered as very fine emulsions, suspended solids, and colloids from wastewater. Historically, Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) has been used to achieve this removal. More recently, other flotation techniques such as induced air, electro, cavitational, and Centrifugal Flotation Systems (CFS) have been applied in wastewater treatment. CFS use centrifugal force to enhance mixing of particles and bubbles with treatment chemicals and accelerate solid/liquid separation. In the most recent design, centrifugal hydrocyclone mixing was combined with small dissolved-air flotation bubbles leading to the development of the hybrid, dissolved-air centrifugal flotation.     

One-step analysis of bubble-particle capture interaction in dissolved-air flotation

The capture of particles by air microbubbles in dissolved air flotation has been analysed using a one-step (holistic) approach, which numerically solved the motion equation (with the inclusion of microhydrodynamic resistance functions and surface forces) for both the bubble-particle collision and attachment interactions. Model predictions with the inclusion of non-DLVO attractive surface force agreed with the experimental trajectories of latex particles. The non-DLVO attractive force reduced the force barrier between non-attaching particles and bubbles, and significantly increased the attractive net force between attaching particles and air bubbles.     

Droplet Size and Surface Tension in Venturi Scrubbers

Droplet sizes in venturi scrubbers using water, water and detergent, and water-propan-1-ol mixtures have been measured using a stroboscopic-photographic method. Droplet sizes for water and water-detergent systems are not significantly different, although much smaller droplets are formed when water-propanol mixtures are used. The better particle collection claimed for water-detergent systems is probably due to the subsequent break-up of bubbles found in the water-detergent system into microdroplets, or better particle-droplet adherence. The classical Nukiyama-Tanasawa equation commonly used for predicting the Sauter mean diameter of droplets (and in turn, collection efficiency) in venturi scrubbers, which has surface tension as a critical parameter, is only approximately applicable to water and water-alcohol mixtures and not to water-detergent mixtures.     

Utilization of a biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle mixture for treatment of oil pollutants in soil

Oil contamination has become a primary environmental concern due to increased exploration, production, and use. When oil enters the soil, it may attach or adsorb to soil particles and stay in the soil for an extended period, contaminating the soil and surrounding areas. Nanoparticles have been widely used for the treatment of organic pollutants in the soil. Surfactant foam has effectively been employed to remediate various soil contaminants or recover oil compounds. In this research, a mixture of biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle was utilized for remediation of oil-contaminated soil. The results demonstrated that the biosurfactant/nanoparticle mixture and nitrogen gas formed high-quality and stable foams. The foam stability depended on the foam quality, biosurfactant concentration, and nanoparticle dosage. The pressure gradient change in the soil column relied on the flowrate (N₂ gas + surfactant/nanoparticle mixture), foam quality, and biosurfactant concentration. The optimal conditions to obtain good quality and stable foams and high oil removal efficiency involved 1 vol% rhamnolipid, 1 wt% nanoparticle, and 1 mL/min flowrate. Biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle mixture was effectively used to remediate oil-contaminated soil, whereas the highest treatment efficiency was 67%, 59%, and 52% for rhamnolipid biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle, rhamnolipid biosurfactant/nanoparticle, and only rhamnolipid biosurfactant, respectively. The oil removal productivity decreased with the increase of flowrate due to the shorter contact time between the foam mixture and oil droplets. The breakthrough curves of oil pollutants in the soil column also suggested that the foam mixture’s maximum oil treatment efficiency was higher than biosurfactant/nanoparticle suspension and only biosurfactant.

     

混凝气浮-过滤法处理油田超稠油废水

辽河油田某配液站超稠油废水为成分十分复杂的有机混合物,对其采用混凝气浮-过滤工艺进行处理,同时改进压力溶气罐、释放器、气浮机和压力过滤器等设备,并对加药位置进行了优化选择,使该废水的处理取得了理想的效果,出水含油和SS均低于10 mg/L.     

高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻的研究

湖泊、水库等水源的富营养化，使藻类去除成为饮用水生产的重要任务。本研究采用高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻，考察了混凝剂、气泡表面积通量和浮选柱高度等因素的影响。试验表明，高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮可高效地去除绿藻、硅藻和蓝藻，叶绿素a和藻类去除率达95％以上，比传统浮选柱气浮和沉降作业有较大幅度提高。与普通气浮柱比较，高气泡表面积通量浮选柱增加了气泡与藻的碰撞几率，防止因大表观充气速率造成的紊流和扰动，使气泡／藻结合体有相对静态的浮升环境，避免了气泡／藻结合体在浮升过程中的脱落，实现对藻类的迅速捕集和转移。     

高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻的研究

湖泊、水库等水源的富营养化,使藻类去除成为饮用水生产的重要任务.本研究采用高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻,考察了混凝剂、气泡表面积通量和浮选柱高度等因素的影响.试验表明,高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮可高效地去除绿藻、硅藻和蓝藻,叶绿素a和藻类去除率达95%以上,比传统浮选柱气浮和沉降作业有较大幅度提高.与普通气浮柱比较,高气泡表面积通量浮选柱增加了气泡与藻的碰撞几率,防止因大表观充气速率造成的紊流和扰动,使气泡/藻结合体有相对静态的浮升环境,避免了气泡/藻结合体在浮升过程中的脱落,实现对藻类的迅速捕集和转移.     

The future for electrocoagulation as a localised water treatment technology

Electrocoagulation is an electrochemical method of treating polluted water whereby sacrificial anodes corrode to release active coagulant precursors (usually aluminium or iron cations) into solution. Accompanying electrolytic reactions evolve gas (usually as hydrogen bubbles) at the cathode. Electrocoagulation has a long history as a water treatment technology having been employed to remove a wide range of pollutants. However electrocoagulation has never become accepted as a 'mainstream' water treatment technology. The lack of a systematic approach to electrocoagulation reactor design/operation and the issue of electrode reliability (particularly passivation of the electrodes over time) have limited its implementation. However recent technical improvements combined with a growing need for small-scale decentralised water treatment facilities have led to a re-evaluation of electrocoagulation. Starting with a review of electrocoagulation reactor design/operation, this article examines and identifies a conceptual framework for electrocoagulation that focuses on the interactions between electrochemistry, coagulation and flotation. In addition detailed experimental data are provided from a batch reactor system removing suspended solids together with a mathematical analysis based on the 'white water' model for the dissolved air flotation process. Current density is identified as the key operational parameter influencing which pollutant removal mechanism dominates. The conclusion is drawn that electrocoagulation has a future as a decentralised water treatment technology. A conceptual framework is presented for future research directed towards a more mechanistic understanding of the process.     

Spectroscopic Raman study of sulphate precipitation sequence in Rio Tinto mining district (SW Spain)

Acidic waters and sulphate-rich precipitates are typical by-products of mining activity such as in Rio Tinto (Huelva, SW Spain). This river drains pyrite mines situated in the Iberian Pyrite Belt which have been in operation since the Bronze Age and probably constitutes the oldest continuously operating mining activity over the world. In the present work, we have used Raman spectroscopy to study a wide range of natural mineral samples collected at Rio Tinto which origin is related to evaporation and mineral transformation processes in a wet and extreme acidic environment. In addition, we simulated the phenomenon of mineral precipitation in controlled conditions by using a simulator developed at the laboratory evaporating natural water collected at Rio Tinto. Also, a series of experiments using the same waters as small droplets have been carried out using micro-Raman technique. The droplets were placed on substrates with different chemical composition and reactivity. The results reveal that the precipitation sequence occurred in Rio Tinto mainly comprises copiapite and coquimbite group minerals followed by several other low hydrated iron sulphates. The experiments carried out on droplets allow estimating with higher accuracy the precipitation sequence.     

臭氧生物活性炭工艺处理某多金属硫化矿浮选废水的小试研究

某多金属硫化矿选矿厂浮选废水水量大,目前该厂对浮选废水的处理方法为尾矿库砂滤治理,但该方法存在效率低、周期长、回用影响选矿指标等众多弊端。为高效低成本的处理浮选废水,结合浮选废水的特点(低COD、难降解、高pH),开展了臭氧氧化-生物活性炭吸附工艺处理选矿废水的小试研究。选矿废水中各残留有机药剂及pH对浮选指标的影响研究表明,废水中残留有机药剂及pH对浮选指标均有不同程度的影响。臭氧氧化-生活活性炭吸附工艺处理选矿废水的小试研究表明,水力停留时间为4 h、反应器臭氧浓度为33.3 mg/L,可获得COD去除率57%、pH降低到8的废水处理效果。将处理后的废水回用于选矿,基本消除残留药剂及pH对浮选指标的影响。本研究提供了一种处理浮选废水的新思路,对臭氧生物活性炭工艺处理浮选废水的工业应用具备参考价值。     

Two-phase simulations of an off-nominally operating dissolved-air flotation tank

The flow patterns of the contaminated water and the air bubbles inside a large-scale Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) tank were examined using CFD modelling. The DAF tank was operating off-nominally in the sense that it was supplied with bubbles larger than originally designed for. Attention was drawn to the location for air injection and the effect of having more than one-size bubbles in the tank, regarding the good contact between phases and the subsequent bubble recovery at the tank free surface. The role of the inclination of the internal baffle of the tank and liquid flow rate was also examined.     

Air parcel model simulations of a convective cloud: Bacteria acting as immersion ice nuclei

The effects of bacteria acting as immersion ice nuclei were investigated in numerical sensitivity studies and compared to the efforts of other ice nuclei such as mineral dust and soot particles. An adiabatic air parcel model was employed simulating convective situations with different initial aerosol particle distributions. The maximum fractions of active ice nuclei were based on field measurements of the proportioning of atmospheric aerosol particle types in continental and marine air masses. Recent field measurements of bacteria concentrations in cloud water and in snow samples were used. From the concentrations in bulk samples the concentration in mean sized cloud droplets was estimated. Immersion freezing was described based on laboratory measurements to constrain the freezing fraction versus temperature. The results indicated that the effects of diminutive amounts of bacteria on ice formation in convective clouds, while being significantly less than the effects of mineral dust particles, might be comparable to the expected effects of soot particles acting as ice nuclei. It can be predicted that bacterial ice nuclei would have to be enriched by at least 10⁴ times reported concentrations in cloud water in order to equate to the impact of mineral dust ice nuclei present in 20–25% of all cloud droplets.     

An experimental study of air entrainment and oxygen transfer at a water jet from a nozzle with air holes.

An adequate supply of dissolved oxygen is important in natural rivers and in some water treatment processes. The dissolved oxygen concentration can be enhanced by entraining air bubbles in a receiving pool. When a water jet impinges a receiving pool at rest, air bubbles may be entrained and carried away below the pool free surface. This process is called plunging water jet entrainment and aeration. This paper describes an experimental study of the air entrainment rate and oxygen transfer efficiency of circular nozzles with and without air holes. In particular, the effect of varying the number, positions, and open/close status of the air holes is investigated. A negative pressure occurred depending on the air holes opened on the circular nozzles. This phenomenon affected the water jet expansion, water jet shape, air entrainment, and bubble penetration depth and, hence, the oxygen transfer efficiency. It was demonstrated that the air entrainment rate and the oxygen transfer efficiency of the circular nozzles with air holes were better than those of the circular nozzles without air holes. Therefore, adding air holes to a simple, circular nozzle could lead to a significantly increased air entrainment rate and oxygen transfer efficiency.     

Electrostatic Precipitation Tests with Fuel Oil Ash

The main characteristics of the electrostatic collection of fuel oil ash has been investigated at a pilot precipitator installed in a laboratory rig. The relationship between collection efficiency, dust concentration and air velocity is studied and the influence of the spacing between the collection plates on both efficiency and effective migration velocity is discussed. Emphasis is put on the high degrees of efficiency attainable under suitable operating conditions.     

加压溶气生化气浮法降解生活污水中有机物

将加压曝气生物氧化技术与加压溶气气浮工艺相结合,开发了一种快速处理生活污水的加压溶气生化气浮反应器(PA-DAF),并考察了反应器的泥水分离效果及压力、水力停留时间(HRT)、气水比对其去除生活污水内有机物的影响。实验结果表明,在压力0.4 MPa,HRT 1.5 h(Q=1.0 L/min),气水比3∶1的条件下,生活污水COD去除率可稳定在90%左右。同时发现,NH3-N去除效果不理想,有待后续研究进行优化。     

调理剂对CAF污泥浓缩工艺影响的试验研究

涡凹气浮(CAF)已广泛应用于工业废水和城市污水的预处理中.由于污泥本身的特性原因,CAF在污泥处理中尚没有应用.通过试验投加污泥调理剂改变污泥的特性,以达到将CAF工艺用于浓缩活性污泥的目的.试验表明,CAF工艺浓缩低浓度剩余活性污泥效果很好,但正确选择污泥调理剂的投加点和投加量对CAF污泥浓缩工艺至关重要.     

Compressed air-assisted solvent extraction (CASX) for metal removal

A novel process, compressed air-assisted solvent extraction (CASX), was developed to generate micro-sized solvent-coated air bubbles (MSAB) for metal extraction. Through pressurization of solvent with compressed air followed by releasing air-oversaturated solvent into metal-containing wastewater, MSAB were generated instantaneously. The enormous surface area of MSAB makes extraction process extremely fast and achieves very high aqueous/solvent weight ratio (A/S ratio). CASX process completely removed Cr(VI) from acidic electroplating wastewater under A/S ratio of 115 and extraction time of less than 10s. When synthetic wastewater containing Cd(II) of 50mgl(-1) was treated, A/S ratios of higher than 714 and 1190 could be achieved using solvent with extractant/diluent weight ratio of 1:1 and 5:1, respectively. Also, MSAB have very different physical properties, such as size and density, compared to the emulsified solvent droplets, making separation and recovery of solvent from treated effluent very easy.     

新型吸收剂净化吸收甲苯废气的实验研究

选择柠檬酸钠水溶液、Tween-20水溶液、檬酸钠-Tween-20混合水溶液、新型矿物油及新型矿物油-水作为研究对象,实验研究对比了几种吸收剂对甲苯废气的吸收效果。通过实验分析可知,檬酸钠水体系对甲苯废气吸收能力有限,加入盐类可小幅增强其水体系对于甲苯废气的吸收效果,其中Tween-20水溶液吸收剂对甲苯废气吸收率较柠檬酸钠水体系高;新型矿物油对甲苯废气有着较好的处理效果,吸收率最高可达97%,而新型矿物油-水混合吸收剂中单位体积新型矿物油对甲苯废气吸收率较新型矿物油吸收剂提高45%,且具有吸收效率高、分散性好、再生成本低的优点。     

混凝一气浮控制三卤甲烷生成势的研究

研究了混凝一气浮工艺对不同分子量区间三卤甲烷生成势（trihalomethanes formation potential,THMFP）的去除效果及絮体形态对THMFP去除效果的影响。结果表明,混凝一气浮工艺以去除大分子量区间THMFP为主,对小分子量区间THMFP的去除效果较差。UV254值与THMFP值的线性相关系数为0．9449,UV254值可以较好地反映THMFP的含量。絮体的分形维数为1．17～1．2时,孔隙率较大,可增加絮体对THMFP的活性吸附空间,且絮体相对密度较小,可增强同向絮凝作用,增加絮体和THMFP的接触概率,有利于气浮对THMFP的去除。     

The effects of thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis on the collection of charged sub-μm particles by charged droplets

The collection efficiency of charged water droplets of 500 μm diameter for charged particles of 0.2 μm diameter is examined as a function of the nondimensional Coulombic parameter. The present paper provides an experimental technique to determine the contribution of the phoretic forces in particle collection by comparing the collection efficiencies of water droplets to that of oil droplets for which the vapor pressure and the phoretic forces are negligible. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the experimental data and the values predicted by a collection efficiency model considering only Coulombic force, thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis.